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Londoner

Am I bovvered?................
« on: February 29, 2008, 08:11:50 am »
I have been actively trying to canvass the bigger houses round Northwood because I thought it would be more profitable. I am talking about houses worth 1-2 million pounds plus in private roads.
I can tell you its very hard work trying drum up business in those areas. Last weekend my wife and I canvassed a group of roads  that all link into a circle called Copsewood Way. We got three.

I did a first clean on one of them Wednesday, it took me over two hours but if I say it myself it was a good job. I checked every window before I left. There was nobody at home (as arranged) so I left my usual payment form and envelope.

Yesterday I had the day off to go shooting at Bisley, during the afternoon my wife got a phone call from the lady saying she wasn't satisfied with the windows and wanted to be taken of my books.

My wife tried to get out of her what was wrong but all she would say was that she wasn't "satisfied".
She didn't wan't me to come over and have a look and she didn't want me to do a reclean. You can guess the last bit of course, she wouldn't be sending the money either. She just wanted to be taken off our books.

Am I bothered? no not really. I'm not going to turn to drink and I'm not going to lie awake worrying about it. Either she has such high standards that nobody could ever meet her requirements or , as I suspect, she's pulled a fast one on me.

The rich ones are definitely the worst but what the heck, life is too short and nothing I can do will make her pay ( cow!) so If I get all angry and bitter its me who suffers.

This is the third time this has happened to me although the stories have been different in each case. It seems to be a growing trend though and thats a worry.

Anybody else had it or is it just me?

supernova77

  • Posts: 3547
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #1 on: February 29, 2008, 08:31:37 am »
Vince,

I would still pursue payment if I were you.

Go round and calmly ask for the money... If she refuses then put it in writing that you require payment within 7 days etc...

Andy

Londoner

Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #2 on: February 29, 2008, 08:38:34 am »
I don't think thats going to work, she dropped the fact that her husband was a Lawyer into the conversation with my wife. Not by accident I would imagine.

Davo

  • Posts: 412
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #3 on: February 29, 2008, 08:45:44 am »
I don't think thats going to work, she dropped the fact that her husband was a Lawyer into the conversation with my wife. Not by accident I would imagine.


Well that would make me even more determined to get my money, they are refusing you the oportunity to rectify the problem, whatever that is.

Take legal advice yourself, if i was in the same situation i would happily spend £200 to get my £30-£40 or whatever ammount charged back.

The customer has been totally unreasonable.



Mark

supernova77

  • Posts: 3547
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #4 on: February 29, 2008, 09:07:45 am »
How much was the job?

Andy

Alex Gardiner

  • Posts: 7744
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #5 on: February 29, 2008, 10:33:29 am »
I think that it is certainly worth a visit. People are very brave over the phone, but in person may be a little less inclined to bluff you out.

AuRavelling79

  • Posts: 26585
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #6 on: February 29, 2008, 10:40:06 am »
You should be bovvered .... IMO. In a previous life I have filled out the claim forms to "sue" a solicitor and he paid up immediately.

OK a plan:-

Go round in the evening, with your wife (a child is better! ;D) and ask what was wrong and what can you do to put it right; tell the lady that she has an obligation to tell you what was wrong and let you put it right.

Let's assume she's not honest and pulling a fast one.

You now hand her a letter and say "I have done the job well, I beleive you owe me the £XXX and I will now pursue this matter further." Say nothing more but repeat this exactly whatever she threatens you with.

Walk away, stand at the bottom of her drive looking back at the house and taking notes and talking into a mobile phone.

(The letter should say what you did, the amount, also you have not been allowed to resolve any issues and that if not paid within seven days you will "escalate" the matter, and that "for the avoidance of doubt" any phone calls from them may be recorded.)

See if anything happens. Take notes.

Always be polite but firm.

They may ignore you, he may send a letter denying etc. if he phones with a "not paying push off attitude" just say "I will now escalate this matter, good day!" and put the phone down.

At worst it will make them sweat!

It's a game of three halves!

philboy

  • Posts: 81
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #7 on: February 29, 2008, 10:55:34 am »
I'd go and ask for the money face to face. You have to be nice about it, and of course conduct everything in a legal manner, and take the opportunity to inspect the windows while ya there. It has been my experiance that the poor people are the ones who give no trouble and the rich ones think they can get away with treating the"lower classes" like crap, it's no coinsidence that she told you her husband is a lawyer, she is pulling a fast one, If you took her to court the judge would have expected her to allow you a fair chance to rectify any problems and to have explained why she was unhappy. fair trading works both ways in the eyes of the law. You can get free advice on this from your local Trading Standards Dept. Don't take it lying down, why should you!

L.J.Thorpe

  • Posts: 2056
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #8 on: February 29, 2008, 01:19:12 pm »
i would pursue it,its sad that people think they can just decide they dont want to pay just because they think they can get away with it.This week i made up some quote sheets,based on one of the documents from this site,chopped it about to suit,put some terms and conditions on and added a bottom section that i can tear off and keep with relevant details AND a signature AND a "every  X wks from XX/XX/2008 until further notice" i may also go back and change the wording on the "complaints " bit on the t&c's after reading this thread.I handed out 2 this week and to be honest i felt a bit of a nob when i did,it all seemed a bit much ,but i am now glad i did and will be tweeking them up and running off some more this wknd :)

simon knight

Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #9 on: February 29, 2008, 01:19:20 pm »
Absolutely, definitely, 100% don't let the matter rest.

The fact that he's a lawyer works in your favour because the last thing he needs is you taking her (or him) to the SCC which will tarnish his reputation.

Seriously Vince if it were me I wouldn't rest until I'd got satisfaction.

Helen

Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #10 on: February 29, 2008, 01:29:35 pm »
I don't think thats going to work, she dropped the fact that her husband was a Lawyer into the conversation with my wife. Not by accident I would imagine.

Vince, you will do whatever you feel is best.
The fact that you know you did a good job, means that she is bendng the truth.
The fact she wouldn't let you rectify means that she is bending the truth.
The fact she wouldn't give details of what was wrong means she is bending the truth
The fact that she didn't want a re-clean, suggests they were ok and that she is bending the truth.
Is her husband a lawyer?.......perhaps she is still bending the truth
 :) :) :)

simon knight

Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #11 on: February 29, 2008, 01:40:29 pm »
I don't think thats going to work, she dropped the fact that her husband was a Lawyer into the conversation with my wife. Not by accident I would imagine.


Is her husband a lawyer?.......perhaps she is still bending the truth
 :) :) :)


Excellent point!

Tosh

Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #12 on: February 29, 2008, 03:37:27 pm »
I've a 'lady' whose ripping me off for two £12.00 cleans.

I used to get upset about it; lose sleep planning revenge tactics such as chucking handfulls of carpet tacks over their drive on a monthly basis.

But now I just let it go.  Poo happens and I bet 99% of your customers are reasonable, decent people.

As I type I'm looking at a cheque that was 'refered to drawer' by a customer who cancelled when she sent the cheque.  She must know the cheque was bounced 'cos she would've received a £40 bank charge for it; the cheque is for £15!

She hasn't contacted me; I could phone her and/or I could just resubmit the cheque and if it bounces again she'll get another £40 bank charge (you can resubmit them three times).

But I won't.

Life's too short to stress over this sort of thing.

My advice is to let it go, customers like these are rare (unless you're just starting up from scratch; then you seem to find loads of 'em).

Londoner

Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #13 on: February 29, 2008, 04:42:55 pm »
I tend to agree with Tosh although it always hurts. To be honest I am the "little man" being shat on by the rich lady in the big house.

I didn't mention this before and I am really reluctant to get into this one but there is a difference in the ethnicity of this lady and me. Having seen the way the lady has manipulated the situation so far its just an issue I am not prepared to risk getting caught up in.

So basically I am bottling out.  Wiser and poorer but with my head held high.

pjulk

Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #14 on: February 29, 2008, 05:13:15 pm »
Im the same as Tosh and Vince.

I would let it go and forget about it.

You will always get one every now and then.

Customer will soon be replaced anyway

NWH

  • Posts: 16952
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #15 on: February 29, 2008, 05:54:10 pm »
I`d say don`t worry madam i`ve kept the dirt from the clean and will be round to put it back on your window`s unless you`d like to re-think about paying me.

Tosh

Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #16 on: February 29, 2008, 06:08:19 pm »
I tend to agree with Tosh although it always hurts. To be honest I am the "little man" being shat on by the rich lady in the big house.

I didn't mention this before and I am really reluctant to get into this one but there is a difference in the ethnicity of this lady and me. Having seen the way the lady has manipulated the situation so far its just an issue I am not prepared to risk getting caught up in.

So basically I am bottling out.  Wiser and poorer but with my head held high.

I once dropped a shop and house owned by an Indian family because one of the occupants 'watched' me while I did the clean.  I'm not racist, but no English (or Welsh; I clean Welsh people's houses; I'm not proud) person has ever done this to me; and I'm 'nearly' Japanese.  There's nothing wrong with checking my work when I've finished; but being watched was... well not nice!

Just put it down to experience!  Mention this 'lady' to other local window cleaners when you meet them; make it tougher for her to do it again.

Alistair@AWC

  • Posts: 880
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #17 on: February 29, 2008, 06:25:39 pm »
Vince,

Its your money mate, and im sure you'll deal with it in a way your comfortable.

....it always grates when this happens and im sure more so on a job this size.


Al

dai

  • Posts: 3503
Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #18 on: February 29, 2008, 06:43:45 pm »
Vince you have been shafted mate, it hurts, but the sooner you can put it behind you the sooner the hurt stops, but hey! what goes round comes round you know. I was out collecting last night, at a house next door to a guy who took me for £30 [I finally managed to get it from his Mrs].
I see this decorator pull up, I asked him if he was owed any money, he asked why, and I told him of my experience. "Thanks mate, I really appreciate you telling me that, I came to price up a job." He got back into his van and drove off.

I had a customer refused to pay once, I took out my pen and a piece of paper, and let him see me writing down his car registration number. His Mrs ran out of the house and stuck the money in my hand.
I never threatened him, or said a word either. Dai

Re: Am I bovvered?................
« Reply #19 on: February 29, 2008, 06:51:01 pm »
You're running a business. You try running this trick with a product or service from a large organisation and see where it gets you.
If you have any intents to run your window cleaning as a business then at some point you will have a confrontation with a customer. You might as well use this customer as the one who has finally pushed you too far. Get it sorted and when it happens again you feel more in control.
Sorry to sound tough Vince but are you going to back down everytime someone says they weren't happy.